A slightly sordid collection

[gwEm]

I'm not exactly sure why I collected these... Anyway, it's done now

[gwEm]

review

HM-2 : more or less a fuzz pedal, halfway between a muff and a rat. Like it on bass, not guitar.
HM-3 : sounds very different. still slightly fuzzy, more like a high gain distortion. Quite liked it.
MT-2 : the EQ controls aren't the easiest to use. sounds ok if you get it right
MZ-2 : awful sounding distortion, maybe the stereo effects are ok(?)
ML-2 : used to quite like this, but it disappears in the mix so I'm no longer really into it.

My advice to any 15 year olds contemplating these to go with their solid state practice amp: HM-3 or MT-2

[Philly Q]

Not that sordid! 

Recent acquisitions, or have you had them a long time?

I think I've got an MT-2 somwhere, someone foisted it on me in part exchange for a guitar I sold him.

[gwEm]

Not that sordid! 

Recent acquisitions, or have you had them a long time?

I think I've got an MT-2 somwhere, someone foisted it on me in part exchange for a guitar I sold him.

I got them all this year, though the MT2 arrived today. My drummer has been critical of my tone, she said it sounded too much like Led Zeppelin. Anyway, I found out she prefers that awful trashy death metal tone so I thought I'd better try some trashy pedals.

Basically I hated the HM-2 on guitar so I thought I'd try the ML-2. Then I just got them all.

We've compromised on the HM-3. I may get a mod kit for the MT-2.

The HM-2 has turned out to be pretty useful on bass guitar and is on my board already. The MZ-2 is probably beyond saving...

[Brow]

My drummer has been critical of my tone

she prefers that awful trashy death metal tone

And there's your issue! 

[seancorker]

My drummer has been critical of my tone

she prefers that awful trashy death metal tone

And there's your issue! 

Yep - tell her her snare sounds like a biscuit tin (or like the one on Metallicas St. Anger)

[Dave Sloven]

This video has some interesting comments below it on the HM-2, including one person who says to use it as a boost with everything dimed (except the distortion) into a lead channel of a gainy amp.  I will have to try this with my Peavey.  I've tried it through the clean channel with the pre gain on 2 and all the knobs on the pedal dimed and that sounded fairly good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMI8TKUlYWY

[gwEm]

My drummer has been critical of my tone

she prefers that awful trashy death metal tone

And there's your issue! 

Yep - tell her her snare sounds like a biscuit tin (or like the one on Metallicas St. Anger)

Don't... She has a 22 or 24" heavy metal ride cymbal thats so heavy it makes the smaller stands over balance and fall over...

[Plenum n Heather]

What an interesting obsession. :)

[AndyR]

Oh dear... (no interest in the pedals, sorry) ... but, listening to the drummer's opinion of your guitar tone?!!!?!

Years ago, I used to listen to my drummer on guitar tone, for quite a long time (years). He was never happy. One day we were listening to Made In Japan, and I went "that's my FAVOURITE guitar sound - it's aggressive and melodic all at once - I wish I could get it out of my kit...". Suddenly it all became clear - he said "Oh no, I hate that tone, he's a fine guitarist and all, but it's just not a rock n roll guitar tone..."

I realised I didn't have to listen to his opinion on my guitar tone anymore! 

[FELINEGUITARS]

The HM2 pedal was the first pedal I bought back in 1984 along with a CS2

Never got on with it and it certainly didn't produce the tones I really wanted - would have been better off with a Tubescreamer, DS1 or SD1

[Dave Sloven]

Honestly the HM2 really only has one application.  All knobs dimed for the early Entombed/Dismember sound.  Other than that there are much better alternatives out there.  I have one on my board simply to get that tone.  It's useless otherwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYaYzIUH9yU